Jurors hear closings at Philadelphia crime boss trial

NEW YORK (AP) - A prosecutor says a reputed Philadelphia mob boss profited from health insurance and gambling schemes despite his claims he had retired from a life of crime.

Assistant U.S. Attorney Lauren Schorr made the accusations Tuesday in closing arguments at the New York City trial of Joseph "Skinny Joey" Merlino.

Defense attorney Edwin Jacob countered by telling jurors that they were being misled by "compromised" turncoat mobsters who testified against Merlino.

The 55-year-old Merlino was among nearly four dozen defendants arrested in a 2016 crackdown on an East Coast crime syndicate. Prosecutors say it committed crimes including extortion, loan-sharking, sports gambling and insurance fraud.

Most of the defendants pleaded guilty to lesser charges. Merlino is the only one, so far, to go to trial on conspiracy charges.

Copyright 2018 The Associated Press. All rights reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten or redistributed.

Students who survived the Florida school shooting are preparing to flood the Capitol pushing to ban the assault-style rifle used to kill 17 people, vowing to make changes in the November election if they can't...More >>

Students who survived the Florida school shooting are preparing to flood the Capitol pushing to ban the assault-style rifle used to kill 17 people, vowing to make changes in the November election if they can't persuade lawmakers to change law now.More >>

Donald Trump Jr. says any talk that his family is profiting from his father's presidency is "nonsense" as he kicked off a highly publicized visit to India to promote real estate deals that bear his family's name.More >>

Donald Trump Jr. says any talk that his family is profiting from his father's presidency is "nonsense" as he kicked off a highly publicized visit to India to promote real estate deals that bear his family's name.More >>

A Denver-area congressman whose district was the site of the Aurora movie theater shooting in 2012 was booed at a town hall Tuesday night as people called for action after the Florida school shooting.More >>

A Denver-area congressman whose district was the site of the Aurora movie theater shooting in 2012 was booed at a town hall Tuesday night as people called for action after the Florida school shooting.More >>

The next mini-casino will likely not be coming to Mercer Count after all. In a surprise move Wednesday afternoon, the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission Board invalidated a $9.9 million bid to place a mini-casino within 15 miles of Hempfield Township.

The next mini-casino will likely not be coming to Mercer Count after all. In a surprise move Wednesday afternoon, the Pennsylvania Gaming Commission Board invalidated a $9.9 million bid to place a mini-casino within 15 miles of Hempfield Township.